Question

You are looking at pond water under a microscope with your lab partner and observe something moving across your field of view. Your partner claims it must be alive because it’s moving, but you aren’t so sure. How can you critique your partner’s explanation and determine if what you see is alive? Use logical reasoning as you identify and describe the major characteristics of living organisms in your response.

Write 4 sentences in your own words

For the Question I am looking for a reflection, in your own words, of what you remember from the readings in this unit. More like a journal entry than a scientific dissertation. And always, in your own words please!

Answer 1

While it’s easy to assume that something moving must be alive, it’s important to consider the characteristics that define living organisms. Living things are typically made up of cells, can grow and develop, respond to their environment, and have the ability to reproduce. We also need to check if what we're seeing can carry out essential life processes, like metabolism and homeostasis. By evaluating these factors, we can better understand whether what we observed in the pond water is genuinely a living organism or just something in motion that doesn’t meet the criteria for life.